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Occupation: Pharmacist Husband: Dwight Joseph Jones Jr. Child: Devin, 10 Hobbies: Dance, Podcasting, Travel, The Krewe of Nandi DR. COURTNEY VILLERE JONES BY MADISON VOORHIES PHOTO BY ELON PHOTOGRAPHY
Give yourself grace. Be very patient with yourself. No one is going to know everything and get it done perfectly the first time.
as a child so I wanted to take care of other small children. It was my junior year (at St. Mary’s Academy) when there was a career fair and an actual representative from Xavier University’s College of Pharmacy came to talk to my class. They explained it was a doctorate program where you’d be able to provide healthcare for your patients not even in a hospital setting, but in a community setting where you would work in the drug stores and be hands-on with your patients. I became fascinated with the chemistry of how medication works in the body rather than the hands-on side. So right then and there, I was sold that I was going to be a pharmacist. I went straight through to pharmacy school and never looked back. WHAT ARE SOME JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF BEING A MOM? COURTNEY: A joy is that [Devin] is a happy child; he’s a healthy and happy child thriving in his studies. I couldn’t be happier for what we’ve been able to provide him. The challenge is trying to maintain all of the busy schedules. Not only do I have a busy schedule, but my son has a busy schedule. I try not to be too hard on myself, and give myself grace. My husband and I both are doing the best that we can to make sure we keep him structured so that he can enjoy all of the different things that he does. But then we can also take care of the mommy and daddy things that we have as well. I think that the challenges become less challenging with a good support team though. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PARENTING STYLE? COURTNEY: I am very nurturing; I’m all about open communication. So what I’ve really been prioritizing is open communication with my son. I have a routine after school every day, and I’ve started this from a very young age to where he’s like, “Mommy, it’s time for the questions.” So we have the questions after school, and I’ll ask him to be in tune with his feelings because I never want him to keep anything bottled in or think he can’t talk to me or his dad about anything. With my son, I’m really big on him learning the fundamentals of being a good person, meaning we make sure to give back and donate
Dr. Courtney Villere Jones is a born-and-raised, true Louisianian. Her passion for serving and teaching those around her echoes loudly into her family life each and every day. She dedicates her time to her family and her busy work schedule, constantly traveling back and forth between New Orleans and Atlanta, Georgia. As a humble and strong-willed queen (literally) she knows how to let loose and have fun through competitive dance and some oh-so-needed me time. Dr. Jones is currently serving as the inaugural Queen of Nandi under the Krewe of Nandi, which rolls on the Westbank on February 7. As an alumna of Xavier University, she is truly dedicated to giving back to the New Orleans community through grace and dignity. WHAT DOES A NORMAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? COURTNEY: Traditionally, I will get up at about 6 a.m. to get my son up and ready for school. We’ll get breakfast already. I’ll get him off to school at about 7:30. I’ll come back, and I usually pick up a coffee or something for me and my husband because we both work from home right now. I’ll take some meetings just about all day because I have project managers; I meet with trainers, data analysts, and everything for the behind-the- scenes to make my pharmacy operations center work. Usually, at about 2:30, I’m getting ready to pick up my son from school. It’s all being wife and mommy after that. So I give my son a little snack when he gets home. My husband will probably go to the gym while I’m getting dinner started. And then when homework starts at about 5 o’clock, I’ll wrap up and take care of any laundry and any cleaning around the house. By the time my husband gets back, we’re having dinner together. So I like a very traditional household. After that, once I put my son to bed, I’m all about my reality TV; it lets me get a nice escape. Other than that, it really depends on the day. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A PHARMACIST? COURTNEY: I’ve always wanted to go into healthcare. I think I really enjoyed my pediatrician. They made it a fun environment
14 FEBRUARY 2024 | NOLAFAMILY.COM
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